Tonight, Tonight
by blueplatespecial
Summary: Long live OrphenxCleao. 100 pure certified fluffiness.


Tonight, Tonight

_so bright, tonight, tonight…we'll crucify the insincere tonight  
We'll make things right, we'll feel it all tonight…we'll find a way to offer up the night tonight  
The indescribable moments of your life…the impossible is possible tonight  
Believe in me as I believe in you…tonight…  
-Smashing Pumpkins/Tonight, Tonight_

It was far too early in the morning (or was it far too late at night? In his half sleep, Orphen cared little either way) and far too cold to hear her soft, bare footsteps against the polished wooden floors of the Everlasting mansion. He sighed and rolled over, his head resting in folded arms, back to the door. Cleao could _really_ ask for it sometimes. He made a mental note, smirk growing on his more awakened face, to torment the girl when she became sick from stumbling around in nothing but flimsy nightclothes in the middle of winter.

That was really the only reason they had returned, the weather. Orphen knew himself; snow and sleet and wind would have no real affect. He sure didn't like the cold, but he could more than handle it. It was his two traveling companions, particularly the female one, who were too weak to take the storms. So they had returned, and with the Inn being closed due to the snowy roads and freezing conditions, he and Majic had found themselves invited to stay in the Everlasting mansion.

Cleao had said propriety be damned, in only the way she could have and even though he initially had retreated across the frozen lake to his even more frozen tower, Orphen slowly accepted the idea. "Not about to say I'm grateful though," he muttered, dark eyes locked on the last glowing embers of the fire. "they can't even keep a decent fire going."

Orphen would never say it to his friend, but he did thank her in his head, every time they passed. That was another good thing about staying in the Everlasting mansion; it afforded him the opportunity to be within hearing distance, and even sometimes within sight distance of her if something went wrong. Not that he was worried or anything…

Oh…Hell…he was worried about her. Not for any specific reason, but it had become something that always plucked at the back of his mind, when things were otherwise calm. Cleao Everlasting had a habit of attracting chaos, and thriving in it. It was one of those things that drove him crazy.

It was also one of those things that made him concerned. As many times as Orphen had said he wished she would leave, that she would go off and get herself captured, and so forth, he really didn't want any of that to happen. He despised the protector role he had come to adopt in regards to her, and even in regard to Majic, but it was still there. Just the thought of anything happening to those two made his stomach twist into knots.

All this time, her footsteps had been drawing closer and closer, and finally he saw her long shadow, reflected from the still lit candles in the hall, seep underneath his door. Sleepwalking, yet once again. He sighed and burrowed himself deeper in the blankets. Someone had to break the girl of that habit. True, she only did it when she was nervous, or afraid, or upset. But, it was still annoying. And here, what did she have to worry about here? This was her home. He could almost understand her sleepwalking in the various Inns they had stayed in, when they could dig up the money. Almost.

"Go back to bed, Cleao," he called out, stern tone in his voice making him cringe. For someone who had never had much respect for authority, the way his voice sounded made him almost ashamed. He reminded himself too much of the numerous professors he had had, always telling people what to do and what not to do. Morons, most of them. He could only think of a few exceptions to that rule.

The only reply was the soft turning of the doorknob. Orphen held his breath and mentally kicked himself for not locking it. And then, there she was, soft fireglow alighting her hair like sunshine spun gold. Now Orphen realized he was holding his breath for another reason. Dressed in little more than a lacy sleeveless shirt and shorts, she was shivering. Leki, draped like a scarf around her neck, offered little to no warmth.

"Go back to bed Cleao," he said once more, propping himself up on his elbows, so he could face her. Behind her long tresses, tied back in a single, messy ponytail, a sleeping Cleao greeted him, mumbling incoherencies about something or the other Orphen couldn't really have cared less about. "Or better yet, stay up and die of exposure. Then I won't have to deal with you any longer." Insulting her was usually the best way to provoke a response, but in this case, the words did little to stir her.

Orphen sighed, quickly realizing just what this was going to come down to. Either he personally escort her back to her room, on the other side of the house, in the freezing cold air, in the middle of the night (or early in the morning; he still hadn't decided which one it was) or…

He snuck a gaze at the peacefully sleeping Leki.

"I should really have let that spider have you," he muttered to himself as he leap out of bed with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, hoping the quicker he did this the less likely it would be that Leki would react. Being blasted was not on Orphen's high list of wishes at the moment. Thankfully however, the Wolfen slipped soundlessly from Cleao's shoulders and settled into the chair Orphen placed him on, with only a few soft mews of discontent. "All you are is trouble," he added, placing firm hands on her shoulders and guiding her to the bed.

Orphen had no intention of getting back into bed with her, once she was settled, but with one of Cleao's hands shot up and took the blanket he was using for warmth in a vise grip, he knew otherwise. Especially when she didn't let go, still muttering things he couldn't quite make out.

It was easier than he thought, to slip soundlessly beside her, pulling the blanket over both of them. She had climbed into his bed many times before, but this time, this time…it was him crawling in with her. _This is my damned bed. I'll sleep here if I want, Cleao or no Cleao, _he thought, but it was little more than a lie to make it all seem right.. And as he slipped an arm around her waist, he told himself she needed warmth to stave off any sickness that would result from her wanderings in the cold house, But, as she curled up next to him, back pressed against his broad chest, Orphen knew that too was a lie.

He needed her here, almost as much as she needed him. She was a welcome addition, as long as it would last. Which, wouldn't be long, judging from the glow that lit one end of the room in green. Leki was awake, and even though he wouldn't react until Cleao called for him, how long would it take for her to wake up, to realize just where they were?

It was a surprise for him to realize that that punishment and the pain would be well worth this. "If you have anything going on in that brain of yours, Leki, just don't blast me too badly in the morning." Orphen said to the dragon pup, before allowing the smirk on his face to be replaced by a genuine smile. _Only for tonight, _he told himself, closing his eyes and syncing his breathing with hers. _Only tonight.__ Tonight. _


End file.
